Specialty Support

– Free venues must be booked where possible
– Industry sponsors can financially support the cost of venues, providing HEE sponsorship guidelines are adhered to

Where it is not possible to book a free venue or source industry sponsorship:
– Venues can be funded
– The most cost-effective venue must be sourced/booked

Preferred payment method – direct invoice to the Wessex PDU

– Equipment must be borrowed where possible
– Industry sponsors can financially support the cost of equipment, providing HEE sponsorship guidelines are adhered to

Where it is not possible to borrow equipment or source industry sponsorship:
– Equipment can be funded
– The most cost-effective supplier must be sourced/booked

Preferred payment method – direct invoice to the Wessex PDU

Industry sponsors can financially support the cost of prizes or awards, providing HEE sponsorship guidelines are adhered to

Where it is not possible to source industry sponsorship:
– Educational prizes or awards can be funded
– The most cost-effective supplier must be sourced/booked
– Monetary prizes or awards cannot be funded
– Prizes or awards containing alcohol cannot be funded

Preferred payment method – event organisers to purchase gifts themselves and claim back (with proof of purchase) via an electronic copy of the Wessex PDU Lecture/Expense Claim Form

Industry sponsors can financially support the cost of gifts, providing HEE sponsorship guidelines are adhered to

Where it is not possible to source industry sponsorship:
– Gifts can be funded, providing the recipient(s) do(es) not intend to submit a claim for their time (see below) 
– The value of the gift(s) must not exceed the amount the recipient(s) is/are entitled to claim for their time (see below)
– Gifts containing alcohol cannot be funded

Preferred payment method – event organisers to purchase gifts themselves and claim back (with proof of purchase) via an electronic copy of the Wessex PDU Lecture/Expense Claim Form

Industry sponsors can financially support the cost of lunch, providing HEE sponsorship guidelines are adhered to

Where it is not possible to source industry sponsorship:
– Lunch can be funded for delegates and event organisers/lecturers/examiners during whole-day events
– Lunch must be sourced via the most cost-effective method/supplier (recommended maximum of £6 per person)

Preferred payment method – event organisers can:
– Purchase lunch themselves and claim back (with proof of purchase) via an electronic copy of the Wessex PDU Lecture/Expense Claim Form
– Ask suppliers to invoice the Wessex PDU directly

Industry sponsors can financially support the cost of refreshments, providing HEE sponsorship guidelines are adhered to

Where it is not possible to source industry sponsorship:
– Refreshments can be funded for delegates and event organisers/lecturers/examiners at intervals during half-day and whole-day events
– Refreshments must be sourced via the most cost-effective method/supplier (recommended maximum of £3 per person)

Preferred payment method – event organisers can:
– Purchase refreshments themselves and claim back (with proof of purchase) via an electronic copy of the Wessex PDU Lecture/Expense Claim Form
– Ask suppliers to invoice the Wessex PDU directly

It is appreciated that time and effort go into organising and delivering training events, therefore event organisers/lecturers/examiners can (and are encouraged to) claim for their time, within the following guidelines:

– Time to prepare and/or deliver specialty support activity can be funded providing the course organiser/lecturer/examiner has carried out the work in their own time
– Time cannot be funded if course organiser/lecturer/examiner has supported the activity during trust/SPA/study leave time, or can be offset against any of them
– The Wessex PDU’s standard lecture rate is £60.29 per hour (minimum of 1 hour paid) – in line with page 28 of the August 2022 NHS Employers Pay and Conditions Circular (£90.43 per 1.5 hours)
– Any non-standard lecture claims (i.e. more than £60.29 per hour) must have advance approval from the Wessex PDU

Payment methods:

Standard lecture claims – via an electronic copy of the Wessex PDU Lecture/Expense Claim Form
Non-standard lecture claims – direct invoice to the Wessex PDU

Consultants:

– Travel and car parking expenses can be funded
– If travelling by car, mileage is claimable at 45p per mile

Payment method – via an electronic Wessex PDU Lecture/Expense Claim Form

Doctors in postgraduate training:

Travel and car parking expenses cannot be funded as they can be claimed back via the employing trusts

When a new specialty training activity is identified, if funding is required, it needs to be applied for via a fully completed (including full breakdown of finance) copy of the Wessex PDU Funding Application Form.

Applicants must seek approval from their Head of School prior to submitting their application.

This process only applies to new activity, and not for any recurring activity (see below) which already has a budget allocation.

Unless it is stated as a one-off funding requirement, the Wessex PDU will assume that the activity will recur each year and will require recurring funding, therefore a budget will be allocated each year.

– All payment requests must be submitted within 1 month of the completion of the training activity
– Before submitting an invoice or claim, claimants must refer to the relevant section(s) above for clarification of the Wessex PDU’s preferred/stipulated payment method in each scenario

There are 3 payment methods available:

1.    Wessex PDU Lecture/Expense Claim Form
2.    Direct invoice
3.    Indirect invoice – in exceptional circumstances trusts can purchase items and/or pay suppliers’ invoices on behalf of the Wessex PDU, and raise an invoice to the Wessex PDU to seek reimbursement

Suppliers/trusts must include the following information on invoices to the Wessex PDU:

– Training activity title (e.g. O&G Regional Teaching)
– Event date
– Venue

– Reference number: XXBLIU (NC###) – this NC number is available on request and relates to the training activity’s unique Wessex PDU code, which makes it easily identifiable in the HEE finance system

– Address:

HEALTH EDUCATION ENGLAND
T73 PAYABLES F485
PO BOX 312
LEEDS                                      
LS11 1HP